Rory McIlroy was caught by Netflix cameras doubting whether he'll ever win another major after watching Brooks Koepka win the PGA Championship last year.
The Northern Irishman's last major victory came 10 years ago when he was just 25 years of age at PGA Championship.
McIlroy was expected to add many more to his trophy cabinet in the ensuing years having become just the third golfer to win three majors by the same age.
While he has stuck around at the top of professional golf since then, he's had a hatful of close calls in major championships.
He's finished tied-fifth or better in 10 majors since 2014 and he's been inside the top 10 in seven of the last eight.
Rory McIlroy is still looking for his fifth major
GETTY
There's been a growing level of expectation on McIlroy's shoulders that one day he will eventually end his long wait for that elusive fifth major.
But, in a candid moment following his final round at last year's PGA Championship, McIlroy was caught on camera questioning whether he will ever get over the line again.
“I f***ing s**t myself over left pins,” he said.
“My technique is nowhere near as good as it used to be.
“I almost feel like I want to do a complete reboot. It’s the only way I feel like I’m going to break through.
“It feels so far away. I’m not at the stage of my life where I feel like I can do these two-week bootcamps.
“I feel good enough to f***ing top-10 in my head, but not good enough to win,” he says.
“Like pull away. Like winning f***ing major championships.”
McIlroy has a lot of screen time in the new Full Swing series with Netflix cameras given special access behind the scenes.
The Ulsterman sets himself extremely high standards and was in terrific form at the start of last year.
He won the Dubai Desert Classic and finished tied-second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Rory McIlroy can complete the Career Grand Slam at Augusta
GETTY
That gave McIlroy plenty of confidence heading into last year's Masters to finally complete the Career Grand Slam.
He's admitted previously that trying to become just the sixth golfer to achieve the historic feat has weighed heavily on his shoulders in previous years.
The 34-year-old had no such concerns heading into Augusta in 2023, but he ultimately missed out on what he felt was his best chance in a while to win his fifth major as he missed the cut entirely.
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Rory McIlroy discusses THAT Masters practice round with Brooks Koepka last year. Watch the drama unfold in Full Swing Season 2. Now playing. pic.twitter.com/w6wJxFuYWz
— Netflix (@netflix) March 6, 2024
“I felt like I was going into that Masters playing really well,” McIlroy said.
“I felt almost as confident as ever going into that tournament and just laid an egg. I played like dogs*** that week.
“It was the best opportunity I had to win a major in a long, long time, sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
"It was so far away from where I should have been.”
